Download/Data
Back to Install or Download This is by far the biggest and most important section of any application like this. It is also the hardest for the user and the developers. As such a new system is being developed to help with the creation, in the mean time please use what is available here or contact one of the developers. = Existing Data = Demonstration Data The easiest way to get started is to install one of the existing created packages in the form of a CAB or EXE. These files are not only the easiest to install, but contain all the necessary components, and setup your XCSoar in the correct way. Unfortunately only a small number of these are yet available. * From sourceforge Download InstallXCSoar-Data.exe from Sample Data, Benalla Australia - to get an automatic windows installer of all data files for Benalla. The EXE code above can be installed from Windows by simply running it (double click). You can also download the CAB file and install it in the same way as for Linux, Mac, Windows, Flash, Internet on the Install page. It is the intention to have all download data in this easy to use format in the future. Existing Map Files (other areas) The .XCM format is XCSoar's current (and preferred) map format designed to replace the older .ZIP file format. The .ZIP files contained dozens of terrain and topology files that you needed copy to your PDA, and some of the file extensions were ambiguous. The .XCM map file format creates a single file that contains all the terrain and topology. For this reason and others the .XCM file is easier to use. If your region is available below only in the .ZIP format (we're working on updating all these files to the .XCM format), then that's OK and it will work correctly with XCSoar, but you may also want to consider reading the section below on creating your own map data in an .XCM format. * including: Benalla, Alps, Bayreuth, Germany, Slovakia and UK - more to come Known entries: * Adelaide * Alps West * Alps * Bayreuth * Brazil * California * Columbia * Colorado * Condor (Soaring Simulator) * Czechoslovakia * Finland * France * Germany * Michiga * Netherlands * New Zealand * North Eastern USA * North Italy * Poland * Slovakia * South Africa * Southern California * Southern Norway * Spain * Sweeden South Central * Sweeden Central * Sweeden Denmark * Sweeden South * Sydney * Texas * UK * Western Quebec What to down once downloaded: For .ZIP files: * Unzip the package with your favourite zip tool * Connect to your organiser (usually with Active Sync, but you can also mount your SD Card etc) * Copy the data from the .ZIP file into the XCSoarData directory inside your "My Documents" directory in main memory or SD Card (or other flash). * Start XCSoar. In the Config > Config > System Setup menu, select the .DAT file in the "Terrain File" field; select the .TPL file in the "Topology File" field. Remove any prior settings from the Map File field. For .XCM files: * Connect to your organiser (usually with Active Sync, but you can also mount your SD Card etc) * Copy the .XCM file into the XCSoarData directory inside your "My Documents" directory in main memory or SD Card (or other flash). * Start XCSoar. In the Config > Config > System Setup menu, select your .XCM file in the "Map File" field. Remove any prior settings from the Terrain File and Topology File fields. Create Your Own Data (Maps and Airspace) If your region does not exist in the "Existing Map Files" section above, or if it is there in the .ZIP file format instead of the newer .XCM map format, you should consider creating a custom map. This is quite simple, really, once you know what to do. And, to reward the nice people who helped me get going, I'm going to tell you how to create your own data files (including maps and airspace), how to get them to the location expected by XCSoar, and how to get XCSoar to use them. There are 6 steps. 1. Use this link to create a terrain file for your area. Choose a short area name and enter it in the appropriate box. (I fly in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, so I chose PANJ.) Enter your email address twice. Select the appropriate units for your area, and select the manual method and .xcm file for output. Then click "Submit Query." On the next page you will need to define the area where you want to fly. To do this, look at Google Earth or a similar site and figure out the latitude for the top and bottom of your area, and the longitude for the left and right boundaries. You will need to enter these in the indicated areas. When you have entered this data, again click the "Submit" button. The next screen will tell you that your request for creation of a data file is in the queue, and you will receive an email when it is complete. 2. Meanwhile, go to The Worldwide Soaring Turnpoint Exchange to get the other files you'll need. Select the area of the world you are interested in, which may take you down one or more levels, and then look for the line labelled "Files formatted for downloading and importing into your programs". Select the icon at the left of this line, and you will be taken to all the kinds of turnpoint or airspace files used by various programs. The waypoint files you need will be those in Cambridge Aero Instruments® format. If you're confronted with too many waypoint sets, there is usually a Map file in each set, which you can look at with Google Maps to see what waypoints are included. Once you've selected one or two sets, click the leftmost icon on the line to download the waypoints file(s). 3. While you're in the turnpoint exchange, look further down on this page and choose the download icon for "Special Use Airspace ( OpenAir® Format )" which will download the last data you'll need. 4. Now, the email telling you that your terrain file is ready should have arrived. Follow the instructions in the email and download that file. 5. This step will vary depending on the device on which you want to install the XCSoar data. For your PC - In the "My Documents" folder create a new folder named XCSoarData, and copy the 3 or 4 files downloaded above to it. For your PDA/PNA main memory - Create an XCSoarData folder in the device's "My Documents" folder, and copy the 3 or 4 files there. For a memory card (SD, CF, etc) - Create a "My Documents" folder on it if it's not already there, and then create an XCSoarData folder inside it. Copy the files there. Insert the data card into the device, if it's not already there. 6. Run the Fly or Sim program from wherever you have installed it, and the screen will come up with no waypoints and no terrain, but don't despair, you're just about done. Double click (or tap) in the simulator screen, and select the Menu box which appears. Then select the Config box twice and select Setup System. Now click in the white box to the right of the Map label, and use the arrows which appear to select the .xcm file you downloaded. In the boxes to the right of Waypoints, choose the .dat file you downloaded. If you chose a second waypoint file, repeat that in the second waypoints box. In the box for Airspace, choose the .txt file you downloaded. Then click the close button, the system will restart, and you'll see your own waypoints. You may have to go back to the Menu, then Display to turn on the display of Map or Terrain data. = Selecting Data = All XCSoar data files are selected in the main setup (See Download/Manual). You must select each of the Terrain, Topology, Waypoint, Airspace, Airfield and Polar files individually after installing them. * Click on System Setup (see Download/Manual for further instructions on setup) * Click through pages until you see the entry you wish to change - e.g. Airspace * Click on the Airspace File * Click Right/Left to select the appropriate file. * If you can't see any, then your data is probably not installed correctly, or you have no Airspace file (or selected item). = Other Data = So which files are which? You can find out more information on file types, extensions, and internal formats at Reference:Filetype and in the FAQ. Way points * Waypoints: Cambridge .dat format. The Worldwide Soaring Turnpoint Exchange is a good source of waypoint files. IGC Files - for fun and replay Tasks Airspace * Airspace: OpenAir .txt format. The Worldwide Soaring Turnpoint Exchange has a section on Special Use Airspace. Air fields Glide Polars * Glide polars: WinPilot .plr format. These can be obtained from the WinPilot site. Satellite Images of Turn points and Airfields General Configuration * Input Events - these control the menus and buttons used on the system * Status - this file controls the output, messages and sounds generated * Dialogue Boxes - these control each of the dialogue boxes generated * Pilot Profiles = Generating your own Content = Tools CVS contains a number of tools to help you generate the data files. Future - Web service We have great plans and great code here for generating data from free sources for any area in the world. However it is by no means a trivial task. As such we are building a set of tools to generate the data. To do so we will need about 3 GB of disk storage for the original files. This is not a problem for us long term, but we are not ready for that. Work has progressed in this area, and the system now generates CAB files with Terrain and Waypoints - topology, airfields, satellite images are all being worked on.